West Bottoms Frisco service: anyone know any one who worked there?

Discussion in 'Kansas City Subdivision' started by mbowline, Jan 21, 2016.

  1. mbowline

    mbowline Mike Bowline bottomslover

    Hello KC friends:

    I am operating my West Bottoms layout and I am hoping to gather some old-timers' information about how the Frisco switched the Frisco-served industries in the bottoms:
    • Did one local train switch all trailing point sidings, and then a different local switched the facing points?, Or......
    • Did one local switch all sidings (trailing and facing)? Or...
    • Something else?
    Also,
    • Did the engine lead the train to the bottoms, perform its duties, then run around and lead the train back to the yard? Or....
    • Did the engine(s) push the train in one of the directions (out from, or back to the yard)? Or..
    • Something else?

    I'd would love to know if anyone knows someone who worked the bottoms in the 1960s or 70s. Or even knows the answers to these questions.
    I could just guess, but knowing how it was done would be preferred.

    Thanks everyone.
     
  2. tferk

    tferk Member Frisco.org Supporter

    From what I gleaned years ago in conversations with employees (long since passed).....

    Industries around the West Bottoms were switched by jobs assigned out of 19th St Yard. These jobs came on duty at different times of the day, and each handled switching in a certain zone, or part of zone. These were not "local" trains, they were yard jobs, and sometime they were used for yard switching if they got their industry work done early. These jobs did not go on duty all on the same trick (8 hour shift), but instead certain zones were switched on different shifts.

    Facing/trailing was not a concern and did not enter into the conversation. If a particular zone did not have a runaround, they would dutch drop (flying switch) to get the engine on the right end of car(s).

    What I have not been able to find is a list of yard jobs (job numbers and assignments) working out of 19th St and Rosedale, and what each of their shifts and on-duty times were. I have the locals and roadswitchers that worked out of of KC, as they were usually listed in the Operating Data Sheets.
     
  3. mbowline

    mbowline Mike Bowline bottomslover

    tferk: thank you for your reply!
    You state you
    "have the locals and roadswitchers that worked out of of KC, as they were usually listed in the Operating Data Sheets."
    Is this something you have shared in the past, or would be willing to share?
    Thanks!
     
  4. mbowline

    mbowline Mike Bowline bottomslover

    Would anyone guess that these yard jobs performed this switching work away from 19th Street Yard with or without a transfer caboose on their string of cars? In other words, were they a "train"?
     
  5. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Everyone that I have talked to in KC about the West Bottoms has felt that cabooses were not used since the whole area was basically considered in yard limits.
     
  6. tferk

    tferk Member Frisco.org Supporter

    What klrwhizkid said......everything was in yard limits.

    Here is some info on the road locals:

    1/15/1968:
    #59 19th St KC to Clinton M-W-F
    #58 Clinton-19th St KC Tu-Th-Sa
    Turn 19th St-Bonita-19th St Daily ex Sun
    #61 19th St to Ft Scott Daily ex Sun
    #60 Ft Scott to 19th St Daily ex Sun

    11/1/1976: (All jobs show origin/termination at C004=Rosedale)
    5710 Ft Scott-KC Local Tu-Th-Sa Start time 7AM
    5711 KC-Ft Scott Local M-W-F Start time 7AM
    9341 Lenexa Roadswitcher Daily ex Sun on duty 7AM works between Merriam and Olathe
    9343 KC-Bonita Turn Daily ex Sun on duty 1600 works to Bonita and back
    1331 Clinton Sub local turn on duty 0001 at KC, works to East Lynne
     
  7. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Great questions and great information, Ted. Thanks very much for sharing,

    Best Regards,
     

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